


Shattered Glass

by cathenian



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: M/M, POV First Person, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-03
Updated: 2011-08-03
Packaged: 2017-10-22 04:00:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/233524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathenian/pseuds/cathenian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The backlash that followed after Inception was something that couldn't be dealt with alone. So when Arthur turns up on Eames' doorstep; the Eames doesn't turn him away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shattered Glass

I can remember fighting you, like a song that never abates in its assault against your mind. You were like ice, sharp, cold and so very breakable. We were volatile, always within seconds of going off with grenades in our hands and guns at our backs.

 _Darling how did we ever come to this?_

You followed the rules, never entertaining the idea of breaking them. Brown eyes never showed what you felt, something that I could never understand. You seemed perfect, like a glass sculpture and it was something that I could never imitate; I, the man of a thousand faces.

The job, you took it too seriously, you in your three piece suit and slicked back hair. It was too serious, but your work was immaculate, very rarely holding a mistake. Dare I say that it was just like you?

This perfect state didn't last, not it came to an end.

 _We were in Spain._

Inception caused so much damage, like a tidal wave against a sand castle. We went our separate ways in Los Angeles, a familiar parting of handshakes and muttered farewells. I left for Spain while you stayed to try and figure out what you would do without Cobb. He now had his children after all.

The nightmares started that night, leaving you with few options. Backlash is difficult to deal with alone and you knew that you needed help. Who would you call? Ariadne was back in school, so she was not an option and Cobb was an obvious no, he now had his children after all. That left Yusuf, who had disappeared without a trace and Saito, who just wouldn't understand. You were left with me, a man you loved to hate.

A knock came on my door at two forty six in the morning, but the time didn't matter; I haven't been able to sleep since inception either. Your brown eyes were split like glass and dark bruises lay under your eyes, marring your perfectly pale skin.

 _You looked shattered and broken._

I invited you in and you hesitated for only a moment. Nothing was said as you looked around my apartment, pale hands clutching your bag tightly. Your long pale fingers, ones that fit a gun so well when shooting your enemies, trembled in another sign that lack of sleep threatened your body.

There's no point in staying on the couch, the words left my lips before I could stop them. You turned to look at me with your jagged brown eyes and the look cut. I ignored the daggers in your gaze and headed back to my bedroom, where I had spent my last three sleepless nights staring at the cracks in the ceiling. To my shock, you followed me and I knew that things had changed.

We settled into my bed, you on the right and I on the left. I watched as the heat dragged you down into sleeps ruthless hold and knew that I would not sleep. I knew that soon you would wake from a nightmare, unable to tell if this was reality or still a dream. I knew this, because I've had these nightmares that never let you go since inception too.

 _Would you have let sleep claim you if you knew what was to come?_

As if on cue, at four twenty two, your eyes snapped open and you shot up into a sitting position. A strangled cry escaped your lips as you tried to free yourself from the nightmares hold. Your hand found your die, but your totem did not help you in that moment. I reached out a hand and covered yours with mine as I muttered everything and nothing into your ear.

Your gasps of fear slowly died off and you relaxed into my arms, both of us comforted by the shared warmth. Your cold, pale skin absorbed my heat and slowly color spread up your neck and to your cheeks. I couldn't restrain my small smile at your embarrassment, surprised by the secondary show of emotions. I was so used to seeing you calm and composed, everything you felt hidden where staring eyes cannot see them.

You looked away, but didn't push me back to the left and move yourself back to the right. Your lips tightened as you went over everything that had happened in your dream. You died in the third level, you whispered suddenly and I almost didn't catch your words.

Well darling, I'm not dying anytime soon. Limbo isn't going to get her hands on me. I breathed into your ear, smoothed out your hair and felt you finally relax. We were drawn together like moths to a flame, because we were after all two tortured souls looking for meaning and comfort. So when I put my lips to your neck, you leaned into the touch. We got closer, knowing that this was only happening because we were both trying to find something tangible to hold onto.

 _We got closer, closer than what was permitted before._

I pushed you back into the bed when your lips finally found mine and our clothes quickly lost. I had to be careful as we moved against each other, your hips as sharp as blades and fingers as cold as ice. The breath panted from your lungs as your hands desperately searched my body. A groan escaped me as you arched up when I found the spot that made you moan loudly. Your back made the most elegant arch as you let go of everything but the here and the now.

Oh god, you panted and I cherished the sound. Then suddenly my name was leaving your lips in a repeated litany; Eames, Eames, oh lord, Eames. Arthur, you have no idea how your unsheltered words effected me that night as we bit, kissed and loved.

 _Yes darling, I loved you even then._

We gasped for breath as I fell to the side, lying beside you in the pitch dark room. You swore lightly, but it wasn't a sound that let me know that you immediately regretted what we had done, even though I knew you would in the morning. I didn't mind that thought though, even as a slight pain formed in my chest, because I knew that this moment would still be mine.

You shifted and for one fearful moment, I expected you to get up and leave, but you didn't. Instead you curled up into my side; head rested on my chest and rested one hand over my bare chest. Your long fingers tracing one of the many tattoo's that resided on my skin. I shivered at the touch and rested my chin on the top of your head, one arm wrapping around your slim waist and the other pulling the beds black duvet over us.

Sleep well pet, I muttered lightly. I was vaguely aware when you finally fell asleep, your fingers falling still and small snores escaping your mouth. We slept without nightmares, wrapped in each other's arms.

Then morning came and to my complete shock, you were still nestled into my side. Your brown eyes were no longer shattered as they studied me and I wondered how long you had been awake. No words were spoken as we lay in the sunbeam that came in from the large bedroom window. I smiled, scratching at my chin as I considered everything that had happened, but I had more important things to deal with.

Do you have any preferences for breakfast darling? I asked as I slipped out from under you and stood up. I stretched, before going around the room and picking up all of my clothes. I dressed slowly, savouring the languid feeling in my body as I waited for your response. Looking over my shoulder, glass was not what I saw, but an actual human.

Your eyes held something akin to contentment and relief. It was humbling to see the ice cracked wide open to show the always hidden man inside. Your lips were lifted into an ever so slight smile, your head cocked to the side and your hair ruffled around your head. All of your pale skin was on display, highlighted by the sun shining in through the window and the only thing that could ever compare to that sight would be if the sun and moon ever met in a battle that ended it all.

My smile grew and thoughts of breakfast lay forgotten as I stripped out of my clothes again. I grabbed your face in my hands and pressed out lips together.

 _Everything between us was had started in a different direction and I would gladly follow that new path._

 __

Fin

**Author's Note:**

> So, I understand why lots of people hate first person and I myself hate it too. This was basically me dipping my toe into this fandom. It was a character study of sorts and what I found, I didn't like. This led me to finding my head canon Arthur and Eames: who didn't start finding their way into my writing until much later.


End file.
